title: Infected total knee arthroplasty due to postoperative wound contamination with Pasteurella multocida.
abstract: Pasteurella multocida is a small Gram-negative bacterium comprising part of the normal gastrointestinal and nasopharyngeal flora of domestic pets, such as dogs and cats. It rarely causes infection in humans. Previous reports of P multocida causing prosthetic joint infection have described either haematogenous spread of infection from a distant site through a scratch or bite, or reactivation of infection from a previous injury. We report a case of acute total knee arthroplasty joint infection becoming acutely infected by P multocida. We postulate that the mechanism of infection was direct contamination of the wound as a consequence of the patient being licked by his pet dog. We discuss the potential role played by thromboprophylaxis as a factor contributing to prolonged wound leak.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals, Sheffield, UK.
authors.forename: Bala
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Subramanian
authors.forename: Edward
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Holloway
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Townsend
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sutton
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019645:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004285:Dogs; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020370:Osteoarthritis, Knee / Q000601:surgery*; D010326:Pasteurella Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D016979:Pasteurella multocida / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016459:Prosthesis-Related Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents